Waco ISD News

WACO, TX – Waco Independent School District is proud to announce the appointment of Kimberly Winters, Ed.D., as the new Executive Director of Student Support Services. A veteran educator with over 20 years of experience in public education, Dr. Winters brings a distinguished track record of systems leadership and a deep commitment to student well-being to the district.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Winters to the Waco ISD team," said Dr. Tiffany Spicer, Superintendent of Waco ISD. "Her expertise in building relationship-centered systems and her heart for student support make her the perfect leader for this role. I am incredibly excited to see the impact her collaborative approach and strategic vision will have as we work to ensure every student in our care has the resources and encouragement they need to thrive."

Dr. Winters’ joins Waco ISD from Belton ISD, where she has served as the principal of Belton New Tech at Waskow High School since 2021. During her tenure there, she successfully led the campus’s transition into a comprehensive high school while achieving a TEA "A" rating. Her leadership was instrumental in expanding equitable access for diverse student populations, including Emergent Bilingual students and those receiving Special Education and 504 services.

"My leadership is grounded in the belief that relationship-centered practices, paired with coherent and equitable systems, are essential to student success," Dr. Winters stated.

Throughout her 13 years as a campus principal in Belton and Round Rock ISDs, Dr. Winters has demonstrated exceptional strength in aligning student support services to include counseling, social-emotional learning, and attendance interventions that remove barriers to academic success. Her notable achievements include:

System Innovation: Coordinated multi-tiered systems of support and streamlined student services to ensure seamless, effective interventions across departments.

Safety and Culture: Reduced discipline incidents by 30 percent at Noel Grisham Middle School through student-centered practices.

Community Engagement: Integrated parents and community partners directly into the educational process through student exhibitions, wraparound support initiatives, and transparent admissions processes.

Academic Leadership: Opened and led a STEAM-focused middle school and mentored novice principals in student-centered decision-making.

Dr. Winters holds a Texas Superintendent Certification and earned her doctorate with research focused on workforce alignment and student access. She is also a graduate of the prestigious Holdsworth Principal Pipeline.

In her new role, Dr. Winters will oversee Waco ISD’s district-wide student support service programs, focusing on her core competencies in data-driven improvement, cross-departmental collaboration, and fostering environments where every student is seen and supported.